Pump



April 21, 1970 E. w. GRONEMEYER ET AL 3,507,586

PUMP

Filed April 4, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2 m VENTURS ERICH wGRONEMEYER. BY LOUIS E KUTIK.

SETTLE, BATCHELDER a OLTMAN.

ATT'YS.

April 21, 1970 E w, GRONEMEYER ET AL 3,507,586

PUMP

Filed April 4;, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS H6 3 ERICH w GRONEMEYER.

' BY LOU/S F KUTIK.

SETTLE, BATCHELDER a OLTMAN.

ATT'YS.

United States Patent 3,507,586 PUMP Erich W. Gronemeyer, 3430 Galt OceanDrive 33308, and Louis F. Kutik, 8720 SW. 23rd Place 33312, both of FortLauderdale, Fla.

Filed Apr. 4, 1968, Ser. No. 718,798 Int. Cl. F04b 21/02, 43/00, 21/04US. Cl. 417-480 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pump for dispensingliquids and semi-liquids formed entirely from three parts including ahousing and a closure joined together to form a compartment, and a valveunit including an intake valve portion and an exhaust valve portion. Thehousing has an inlet passage and an outlet passage, both communicatingwith the interior of the compartment, and the intake valve controls flowthrough the inlet passage and the exhaust valve controls flow throughthe outlet passage. The closure includes a diaphragm which may be pushedinwardly of the compartment to expel fluid therefrom through the exhaustvalve while closing the intake valve, and release of the actuating forceallows return of the diaphragm to suck fluid into the compartmentthrough the intake valve while closing the exhaust valve. In a preferredembodiment, the housing has a circular surface like a counterbore. Thevalve unit includes a circular flap having its edge in contact with thecircular surface to divide the compartment into two chambers. The outletpassage communicates with one chamber, and the inlet passagecommunicates with the other chamber through the valve unit. The circularflap constitutes an exhaust valve, and the valve unit also has anotherflap constituting the intake valve adapted to block the inlet passagewhen closed. All three parts of the pump may be made of injection moldedplastic material.

Background of the invention The type of pump with which the invention isconcerned is often used to dispense liquid or semi-liquid materials froma bottle or other container. By way of example, such pumps are sometimesused to dispense lotions, liquid detergents, syrups and similarmaterials. Known pumps of this type, however, have been suflicientlyexpensive to limit their use to some extent. One of the reasons for therelatively high cost of known pumps is that they have been made up of alarge number of component parts, sometimes involving ball valves,springs, and mechanisms of various kinds. Not only are the parts costlyto manufacture, but assembly of the parts to fabricate a complete pumpinvolves considerable labor, and of course this also adds tomanufacturing cost.

Summary of the invention The present invention provides a pump fordispensing liquid or semi-liquid material from a small container, thepump consisting of relatively few parts, all of which may be made frominjection molded plastic material. In a preferred embodiment, the pumpconsists of only three parts which can be assembled together by verticalstacking in a very simple manner to form a complete pump. In thisembodiment, the parts are a housing and a closure for the housing joinedtogether to form a compartment, the closure including a diaphragm in thenature of a suction cup which can be depressed to expel fluid from thecompartment, and which recovers or returns due to its elasticity to suckfluid into the compartment. The third part of the pump is a valve unitwhich has an intake valve portion and an exhaust valve portion. Thehousing has a See bottom wall with a central opening therein forming aninlet passage, and also has a circular surface in the nature of acounterbore with an outlet passage communicating with the interior ofthis circular surface. The valve unit fits into the housing and has acircular flap constituting the exhaust valve with its edge contactingthe circular surface to divide the compartment into two chambers. Theinlet passage communicates through the valve unit with one of thesechambers, and the outlet passage communicates with the other chamber.The intake valve is a flap located centrally within the exhaust valve ina position to cover the inlet passage. The two valves are separated by aseal portion of the valve unit.

When the diaphragm is depressed, it increases pressure in the firstchamber to expel fluid therefrom past the circular edge of the exhaustvalve flap and out through the outlet passage while at the same timeclosing the intake valve. When the diaphragm is released, it returns toits normal position and, in doing so, sucks liquid past the intake valveinto the first chamber while simultaneously closing the exhaust valve.Thus, not only does the pump consist of relatively few parts, but itsoperation is simple and very reliable.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide animproved pump of the diaphragm operated type.

Another object of the invention is to provide a diaphragm operated pumpconsisting of a minimum number of parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pump for dispensingliquid or semi-liquid materials, all of the parts of which can be madeentirely from plastic material.

Another object of the invention is to provide a diaphragm operated pumpin which the valves thereof are integral portions of a single valveunit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pump which can beassembled easily by a vertical stacking method.

Among the other objects of the invention are to provide a pump which isinexpensive, rugged, reliable in operation, and readily manufacturableon a mass production basis.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following descriptionand appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsforming a part of this specification wherein like reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts in the several views.

On the drawings FIGURE 1 is an exploded view of a pump in accordancewith one embodiment of the invention showing the parts of the pump insection as they might be arranged just prior to assembling them to forma complete pump;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view showing a housing part and a valveunit of the pump, the valve unit being shown in dashed lines as it ispositioned for assembly with the housing and in solid lines after it hasbeen forced into place within the housing;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view of the complete pump showing inparticular a closure and diaphragm part of the pump;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of the pump taken along line 44 ofFIGURE 3 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view of the pump taken along line 55 ofFIGURE 3 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional view of the pump showing the diaphragmof the closure part in a depressed position as it appears afterdispensing liquid from the pump; and

FIGURE 7 is a vertical sectional view of the pump showing the diaphragmof the closure part after it has risen somewhat and also showing achanged condition of the valve.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited in its application to thedetails of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of otherembodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also,it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employedherein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

As shown on the drawings Referring to FIGURES 1-5 of the drawings, itmay be seen that the pump 10 consists of a housing 12, a closure 14, andvalve unit 16, these parts being shown in exploded relation in FIGURE 1and in assembled relation in FIG- URE 3. FIGURE 2 shows just the housing12 and the valve unit 16 as assembled.

The housing 12 includes an annular side wall 18 and a bottom walldesignated generally as 20. Depending downwardly from bottom wall 20 isan annular coupling portion 22 which has internal screw threads 24adapted to be screwed on to a threaded neck of a bottle or othercontainer. It will be understood that the threaded coupling portion 22is shown by way of example, and it is possible to provide other types ofcouplings for the pump as needed.

Extending upwardly from bottom wall 20 is an inner annular side wall 26spaced radially inwardly from outer side wall 18, and the circularrecess 28 between inner and outer walls 18 is dimensioned to receive arim portion 30 of closure 14 with a tight fit as will be explainedfurther.

Bottom wall 20 has a vertical cylindrical or circular surface 32 formedtherein in the nature of a counterbore. This surface cooperates with theunit 16 as will be described further. Bottom wall 20 also includes aflat surface 34, and a circular cavity 36 recessed downwardly fromsurface 34, the cavity 36 being dimensioned to receive a hollow stemportion 38 of valve unit 16 with a close fit. Formed integrally withbottom Wall 20 is a downwardly extending tube 40 which has a bore 42extending through it. Bore 42 is an inlet passage which leads to theinterior of the pump, and fluid is sucked into the pump through thispassage in the operation of the pump. A separate hose-like tube (notshown) may be attached to tube portion 40 so that the hose-like tube canextend into liquid within a container for the purpose of sucking liquidout of the container into the pump. An upwardly extending recess 44 isformed about tube 40 to receive the end of the hose-like tube when it isattached to tube portion 40.

Also formed integrally with bottom wall 20 is an annular slantingsurface 46 which acts to seal the bottom wall with the lip of a bottleto which the pump is attached. A nozzle 48 projects outwardly from theside of the pump, and the nozzle 48 has a bore 50 extending through itand extending through circular wall 32 and opening at 52 into the spacewithin wall 32. The bore 50 thus communicates with the interior of thepump and provides an outlet passage through which fluid is expelled fromthe pump.

Surrounding the top of inlet passage 42 is a raised circular seatsurface 54. This surface receives the inlet valve of valve unit 16 aswill be explained further.

Valve unit 16 includes the hollow stem portion 38 as previouslymentioned, and also includes an exhaust valve 56 and an intake valve 58.The exhaust valve .56 is in the form of a concavo-convex flap which hasa circular edge 60 and which is formed integrally with the top end ofstem portion 38. As may be seen, flap 56 curves downwardly slightly, andhas a shape something like the head of a mushroom. Intake valve 58 is aflat, disk-shaped flap which is connected to stem 38 by two small joints62 and 64 which are formed integrally with the inside of hollow stem 38.There is an annular space at 66 between the edge of flap 58 and theinner surface of stem 38, the space '66 being interrupted only by thesmall joints 62 and 64. The joints 62 and 64 are thin enough to bendreadily, and thus flap 58 can swing upwardly from a horizontal positionafter the pump is assembled as will be described.

Closure 14 includes the annular rim 30 mentioned previously, and alsoincludes a diaphragm portion 68 which is shaped like a suction cup.Diaphragm 68 curves downwardly and outwardly toa circular corner 70, andthen curves outwardly and upwardly to the top of rim 30. The portion 72of the diaphragm acts like a hinge, and when diaphragm 68 is pusheddownward, corner moves radially outwardly toward rim 30. Diaphragm 68 iselastic and has good recovery so that it will return by itself to itsnormal position after being depressed. Underneath diaphragm 68 aredownwardly extending protrusions 74 arranged in a circular pattern, theprotrusions being engageable with the flap 56 of valve unit 16 whendiaphragm 68 is depressed. The action of protrusions 74, will beexplained more fully in connection with the operation of the pump.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the valve unit 16 is assembled with the housing 12by placing the hollow stem 38 in the top of the recess 36, the valveunit 16 then being in the position shown in dashed lines in FIGURE 2.After thus assembling, valve unit 16 is pushed downwardly to forcehollow stem portion 38 into recess 36 until the bottom of stem 38 buttsagainst the bottom surface of recess 36. The circular edge 60 of flap 56is inserted inside circular surface 32 of bottom wall 20. The diameterof surface 32 is slightly smaller than the normal diameter of edge 60,and consequently flap 56 bends downwardly slightly when edge 60 isinserted into surface 32. Thus, flap 56 cannot easily be bent upwardlyfrom the position shown in FIGURE 2, but it can bend downwardly from theposition shown in FIGURE 2. As mentioned previously, flap 56 constitutesan exhaust valve, and the exhaust valve is closed with flap 56 in theposition shown in FIGURE 2.

The closure 14 is assembled with housing 12 in the manner shown inFIGURE 3. Rim portion 30 is placed in the top of recess 38, and rimportion 30 is then forced downwardly until its bottom end butts againstthe bottom surface of recess 28 as shown in FIGURE 3. As thus assembled,the closure 14 and the housing 12 form a compartment which has a hollowinterior. The interior of the compartment is divided by flap 56 into alower chamber 76 and an upper chamber 78. Inlet passage 42 communicateswith upper chamber 78 through valve flap 58 when the latter flap isopen, and outlet passage 50 communicates with the lower chamber 76.

In connection with the assembling of the parts of the pump, it may benoted at this point that the assembling of the valve unit 16 and theclosure unit 14 with the housing 12 may be accomplished in the followingmanner. Valve unit 16 may be placed over recess 36 with the stem 38inserted therein, and closure 14 may be placed on the top of housing 12with the rim 30 inserted slightly in recess 28. A plunger may then bebrought down on rim portion 14 to force it fully into recess 28. Anotherplunger, concentrically within the first plunger, may then be broughtdown to depress diaphragm 68. As diaphragm 68 is depressed, protrusions74 are directed outwardly at an angle, and they are also brought intocontact with flap 56 of valve unit 16. The diaphragm contacts valve unit16 and forces it into recess 36. At the same time, protrusions 74 forceedge '60 of valve unit 16 inside circular surface 32. The pump is thanfully assembled, and the plunger may be raised so that diaphragm 68returns to its normal position.

Housing 12, closure 14 and valve unit 16 are each molded integrally byinjection molding of plastic material. Housing 12 is preferably moldedof a relatively stiff plastic material such as polyethylene or linearpolyethylene. On the other hand, closure 14 and valve unit 16 arepreferably molded of a softer polyethylene material such that the valves56 and 58 and the diaphragm 68 are resiliently flexible. Diaphragm 68 inparticular should have good elasticity and recovery so that it can bedepressed and will return to its normal position. Seating ring 54 whichextends about inlet passage 42 and also circular edge 60 of valve flap56 must be formed accurately to insure that good seals are provided atthese points. In the molding of valve unit 16, it is thus preferablethat the molds not part at the circular edge 60, because this wouldleave a mold line at edge 60. Rather, the mold may be undercut so thatedge 60 is formed accurately, and the mold may part somewhere along asurface of flap '6 removed from edge 60. Similarly, the seating ring 54should be formed by a continuous surface of the mold.

It may be noted that there are no springs or other metal parts in thepump. The only spring action of the valves 56 and 58 is derived from theresiliency of the plastic material from which the valve unit -16 ismolded.

As has been pointed out, the rim 30 of closure 14 in the illustratedembodiment fits tightly with walls 18 and 26 in the recess 28 of housing12. The closure may be secured to the housing in other ways. Forexample, the top of wall 18 may be riveted or spun over the top of rim30 to hold the rim in place. Alternatively, a ringshaped recess may beformed in wall 18 and a matching protruding ring may be formed on theside of rim 30 so that the protruding ring snaps into the recess whenthe closure is assembled with the housing. Snap fitting closures of thistype are well known.

Operation FIGURES 6 and 7 illustrate the manner in which the pumpoperates. FIGURE 6 shows how fluid is expelled or dispensed from thepump. It will be assumed that the upper chamber 78 inside housing 12 isinitially filled with liquid. Actuating force applied to the exterior ofdiaphragm 68, as by pressing on the diaphragm with ones finger, appliesincreased pressure to the liquid in chamber 78. This pressure forcesyieldable circular edge 60 downwardly and away from cylindrical surface32. Thus, liquid is expelled from chamber 78 past edge 60 of valve fiap56 into chamber 76 and from there through outlet passage 50 and out ofnozzle 48. At the same time, the pressure in chamber 78 forces intakevalve flap 58 against seating ring 54 to close the inlet passage 42.

It may be seen from FIGURE 6 that when diaphragm 68 is fully depressed,the center of the diaphragm pushes stem 38 of valve unit 16 downwardly,and projections 74 slant outwardly and engage flap 56; Thus, if valveunit 16, or just the flap 56 thereof, were out of position prior to adispensing stroke, diaphragm '68 will push the valve unit or just flap56 back into place as the diaphragm is depressed.

When the actuating force is released, diaphragm 68 moves outwardly inthe manner shown in FIGURE 7 and returns to its original position. Thisproduces suction or vacuum in chamber 78 which pulls intake valve flap58 upwardly off seating ring 54 to thereby open inlet passage 42. Thereduced pressure in chamber 78 sucks liquid from the container withwhich the pump is associated through inlet passage 42 into chamber 78,thus refilling this chamber. The suction in chamber 78 also pullsexhaust valve flap 56 upwardly and urges circular edge 60 againstcylindrical surface 32. This closes the exhaust valve so that no liquidescapes through outlet passage 50. It may be noted that hollowcylindrical stem 38 of valve unit 16 forms a seal between intake valve58 and exhaust valve 56 so that there is no way for liquid to leakdirectly from inlet passage 42 to outlet passage 50.

Hinge portion 72' of diaphragm 68 swings outwardly as diaphragm 68 isdepressed, thus allowing diaphragm 68 to flatten out when it is fullydepressed, or at least become flatter. Hinge 72 is resilient, and soreturns to its initial position when actuating force is released fromthe diaphragm.

It may be seen from the foregoing description, that pump 10 consists ofa minimum number of parts, only three parts being provided in theillustrated embodiment. These parts can all be molded by injectionmolding in an economical manufacturing process. The pump is simple andit operates reliably despite the fact that it is inexpensive.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A pump for expelling fluid from a container, said pump including incombination:

(1) first and second parts assembled together and forming at least onecompartment therein,

(a) said compartment having an inlet passage and an outlet passagecommunicating therewith,

(b) said first part being an actuator part at least a portion of whichis movable toward said compartment relative to said second part,

(c) and said second part being a housing part having a bottom wall withan aperture therein forming said inlet passage and having an annularupstanding surface about said aperture through which said outlet passageextends,

(2) and a third part made of injection molded plastic and located insidesaid compartment, said third part having:

(a) an integral portion forming an intake valve for said inlet passage,

(b) another integral portion which is resilient and deflectible and hasa circular sealing edge yieldably engaging and biased against saidannular surface to form an outlet valve for said outlet passage locatedbetween said outlet passage and said actuator part, and

(c) still a further portion forming with said housing part a sealblocking flow along a bypass path between said valves when one of saidvalves is open,

(3) said annular surface having a smaller diameter than the diameter ofsaid circular sealing edge of said outlet valve portion before assemblythereof to contract said sealing edge as assembled inwardly slightly bybending, with the resilience of said outlet valve portion causing saidsealing edge to be biased against said annular surface to form aperipheral seal,

(4) said circular sealing edge being free of any significantirregularity which would impair said peripheral seal and decreasing indiameter to open said outlet valve in response to operation of saidactuator part to expel fiuid,

(5) and said actuator part being returnable to suck fluid through saidinlet passage past said intake valve into said compartment.

2. A pump as claimed in claim 1 in which said outlet valve is a flapwhich divides said compartment into an input chamber and an outputchamber, said inlet passage communicates with said input chamber andsaid outlet passage communicates with said output chamber.

3. A pump as claimed in claim 2 in which all of said parts are made ofinjection molded plastic, and said sealing edge is free of any moldparting line.

4. The pump as claimed in claim 3 in which said diaphragm portion isengageable with said outlet valve flapwhen said diaphragm portion isdepressed, thereby assuring that said flap is positioned inside saidcylindrical surface.

5. The pump as claimed in claim 2 in which said actuator part includes adiaphragm portion.

6. The pump as claimed in claim 5 in which said actuator part alsoincludes a rim portion compressed between wall portions of said housingpart, and a hinge portion connecting said diaphragm portion to said rimportion.

7. The pump as claimed in claim 4 in which said diaphragm portion hasprojections for engaging said outlet valve flap.

8. A pump for expelling fluid from a container, said pump comprising acompartment having an inlet passage and an outlet passage bothcommunicating therewith, an intake valve for said inlet passage, anexhaust valve for said outlet passage, said compartment having acylindrical surface therein, said exhaust valve comprising a resilientlyflexible flap having a circular sealing edge engaging said cylindricalsurface and slightly larger in diameter before assembly than thediameter of said cylindrical surface so that said flap bends slightlyand is self biased against said cylindrical surface, said flap dividingthe interior of said compartment into an input chamber with which saidinlet passage communicates and an output chamber with which said outletpassage communicates, and said flap being made of injection moldedplastic with said sealing edge being free of any mold parting line, saidcompartment including an actuator depressible into said input chamber toexpel fluid therefrom past said scaling edge through said output chamberand out said outlet passage, and said actuator being returnable to suckfluid through said inlet passage past said intake valve into said inputchamber.

9. In a displacement pump adapted to be attached to a container andhaving a variable volume compartment selectively communicable withvalved inlet and outlet passages, said compartment being defined by ahousing member, an actuator member and a flexible resilient valvemember, said actuator member being assembled with the housing member,and said valve member having inlet and outlet valve passage closingportions, the improvement comprising a portion of the housing member inthe form of an interior annular surface extending upwardly relative tothe bottom of the housing member and above the outlet passage, and thevalve member including a portion sealingly aflixed to the housing, withsaid outlet valve passage closing portion comprising an annulardeflectible flange extending radially from the sealingly affixed portionand said inlet valve passage closing portion being located centrally ofsaid flange, said flange being of greater diameter than the interiordiameter of said annular surface and being normally deflected inwardlywith its upper surface biased outwardly against the annular surfacethereby forming an annular seal and separating the variable volumecompartment from the outlet passage, said valve member being made ofinjection molded plastic and said flange being free of any significantirregularity which would impair said annular seal.

10. A pump for expelling fluid from a container, said pump comprising acompartment having an inlet passage and an outlet passage bothcommunicating therewith, an intake valve for said inlet passage, anexhaust valve for said outlet passage, said compartment having acylindrical surface therein, said exhaust valve comprising resilientlyflexible flap slightly larger in diameter than said cylindrical surfaceso that said flap bends inwardly and is self-biased outwardly againstsaid cylindrical surface, said flap dividing the interior of saidcompartment into an input chamber with which said inlet passagecommunicates and an output chamber with which said outlet passagecommunicates, and said compartment including an actuator depressibleinto said input chamber to expel fluid therefrom past said flap throughsaid output chamber and out said outlet passage, said actuator having adepressible portion resiliently connected to the remainder of theactuator by an annular pleat whereby said depressible portion isresiliently returnable to suck fluid through said inlet passage pastsaid intake valve into said input chamber.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,211,212 8/1940 Langdon137-525.3 2,537,241 1/1951 Smith 137-5l2.15 2,567,391 9/1951 Mead 230231X 2,690,278 9/1954 Bacheller 103-148 2,856,863 10/1958 Folley 2302313,029,742 4/1962 Curtis 103148 3,084,707 4/1963 Frye 137525.3 X3,102,489 9/1963 Corsette et a1 137525.1 3,159,176 12/1964 Russell etal. 137525.1 3,162,334 12/1964 Miller 103228 FOREIGN PATENTS 637,8894/1962 Italy.

WILLIAM L. FREEH, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R

